Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among the homeless in north-eastern Poland

Central European Journal of Medicine volume 8, pages 283–285 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease particularly affecting the poorest socioeconomic groups. One such group in Central Europe are the homeless. We developed a prevention programme that targets, among others, homeless individuals in Warmia and Mazury Province (in the northeast of Poland). We investigated 121 homeless persons. We performed surveys, X-rays and microbiological tests of the sputum for TB. Five cases of pulmonary TB were found. The prevalence of TB in this community was estimated at 4132 per 100,000 (4.13%). Efficient TB control justifies continued prevention programmes aimed at the systematic monitoring of the homeless population.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  1. Knopf S A, (1914): Tuberculosis as a cause and result of poverty. JAMA 63(20): 1720–1725

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Office of the Marshal of the Warminsko-Mazurskie Province. Informacja dotycząca problematyki bezdomności na terenie województwa Warmińsko-Mazurskiego. Stan na dzień 15 września 2010 r. http://wrota.warmia.mazury.pl

  3. Tuberculosis Transmission in a Homeless Shelter Population. New York, 2000–2003. 2005; Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (http://www.cdc.gov/)

  4. Romaszko J, Rosłan A, Buciński A, Romaszko E. An evaluation of the incidence of selected diseases of social importance in the homeless population. Zdrowie Publ. 2006; 116: 3–7

    Google Scholar 

  5. Romaszko J, Buciński A, Cichowski L, Rychlicka M, Incidence of tuberculosis among homeless people in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Province (Poland). Zdrowie Publ. 2008; 118: 27–31

    Google Scholar 

  6. Romaszko J, Buciński A, Wasiński R, Rosłan A, Bednarski K. Incidence and risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis among the poor in the northern region of Poland. Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. 2008;12(4): 430–435

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Karpińska-Jazdon L, Gałecki J, Ruszczak A. The epidemiology of tuberculosis of the respiratory tract in the homeless in Poznań. Pneumonol Alergol Pol. 2006;74:149–152

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Organization of detection of patients with tuberculosis in Moscow. Gorbunov A V, Kochetkova E. Probl Tuberk Bolezn Legk. 2005;8:18–22

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pataki, G., Á. Megyesi, and I. Fehér. 2003. Annual report of the Hungarian medical care centers in respiratory medicine, 2002. National Korányi Institute for Tuberculosis and Respiratory Medicine, Budapest, Hungary

    Google Scholar 

  10. BTS Guidelines (2000): Control and prevention of tuberculosis in the United Kingdom: Code of Practice. Thorax 55: 887–901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Beijer U, Wolf A, Fazel S. Prevalence of tuberculosis, hepatitis C virus, and HIV in homeless people: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2012. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(12)70177-9]

  12. NICE. Tuberculosis — hard-to-reach groups (PH37). Manchester: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2012

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NZOZ Pantamed Ltd, Olsztyn, Poland

    Jerzy Romaszko

  2. Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Bydgoszcz, Poland

    Adam Buciński

  3. Municipal Centre of Social Assistance, Shelter for the Homeless, Olsztyn, Poland

    Robert Kuchta

  4. Independent Public Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Unit, Olsztyn, Poland

    Krzysztof Bednarski & Magdalena Zakrzewska

Authors
  1. Jerzy Romaszko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adam Buciński
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robert Kuchta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Krzysztof Bednarski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Magdalena Zakrzewska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jerzy Romaszko.

About this article

Cite this article

Romaszko, J., Buciński, A., Kuchta, R. et al. The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among the homeless in north-eastern Poland. cent.eur.j.med 8, 283–285 (2013). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11536-012-0114-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11536-012-0114-9

Keywords

search

Navigation